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7 Shortest Premier League Managerial Reigns

As Crystal Palace sack Frank De Boer after just 4 games, we take a look at some managers who didn't last long in the Premier League from clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland.

Frank de Boer before being sacked at Crystal Palace

The speed with which teams go through managers now is absurd. The finances of the Premier League and the pressures which come with the financial side of the game have seen England's top flight turn into a circus, although the Championship has a turnover of bosses which is just as rapid. Since the start of 2014, Leeds United have had eight managers, whilst Watford and Swansea have both had seven.

The word 'loyalty' no longer exists in footballing dictionaries, unless of course your first name should be Arsene. Just four games into the Premier League season, and already Frank de Boer has been sacked as Crystal Palace manager, having failed to pick up a point in English football. That got us thinking, other than De Boer, which managers have had the shortest managerial reigns in Premier League history?

Leroy Rosenior famously lasted just 10 minutes as manager of Torquay United in 2007, a record that would take some beating, but this seven is restricted to Premier League managers only. Here are the top 7 shortest Premier League managerial reigns other than Frank De Boer:

7. Chris Hutchings (Bradford City)

Former Chelsea, Brighton and Huddersfield defender Chris Hutchings replaced Paul Jewell as Bradford City manager in June 2000, having previously been his assistant. Despite guiding the Bantams to the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup, the Yorkshire-men had a torrid time in the league, and Hutchings was sacked after winning just one of his 12 league games in charge. Hutchings stint was one of four Premier League managerial reigns to span just 12 games, the others being Iain Dowie at Charlton, Paolo di Canio at Sunderland and the one about to come in sixth on this list, but Dowie and di Canio miss out due to lasting slightly longer in terms of days that Hutchings.

6. Chris Hutchings (Wigan Athletic)

Okay, so this is a little bit awkward... Just ahead of Chris Hutchings time at Bradford City is his time at Wigan Athletic, which also lasted just 12 games. The Bradford job had been Hutchings' first in management, and after it he took a seven year break from footballs top job, returning to the role of assistant. Following a Paul Jewell departure once more though, this time at Wigan Athletic, Hutchings took the reigns, but after six straight defeats and the Latics languishing in the relegation zone, he was out the door rather swiftly once more.

5. Jacques Santini (Tottenham Hotspur)

Good news for Chris Hutchings, it's not him at number five. Tottenham Hotspur appointed former France and Lyon boss Jacques Santini as their manager after the sacking of another former national team coach, Glenn Hoddle. Unlike the others in this seven, Santini walked rather than being dismissed, his self-inflicted departure coming after just 11 league games in charge of Spurs. His departure was officially put down to 'personal problems', but Santini felt promises made to him had been broken by the club and was replaced by Martin Jol.

4. Sammy Lee (Bolton Wanderers)

Some coaches are just better suited to being number twos, and we have seen a handful of assistance take over the top job and fail in the Premier League. Former England international Sammy Lee is an experienced footballing man, having worked as an assistant to Rafa Benitez, Sami Hyypia, Ronald Koeman and most notably Sam Allardyce. His only permanent managerial role came at Bolton Wanderers following Big Sam's departure in 2007. Lee won just one of his eleven matches in charge before being given the boot.

3. Bob Bradley (Swansea City)

The most recent entry in this seven, Bob Bradley's brief stint in south Wales was a disaster. Appointed shortly after the club was taken over by American duo Stephen Kaplan and Jason Levien, Bradley became the Premier League's first American manager. Like Santini and Lee, he lasted for only 11 league games, winning two, drawing two and losing seven. He was replaced by Paul Clement, who managed to keep the Swans afloat in the Premier League, whilst Bradley recently took on the job as Los Angeles FC manager.

2. Paul Sturrock (Southampton)

Southampton have gone through a few managers in recent years, although that has tended to be because they do so well they get snapped up by another club, such as Tottenham and Everton. That wasn't the case with Paul Sturrock though unfortunately. The Scot replaced a fellow Scot in the form of Gordon Strachan off the back of four happy and successful years on the south coast with Plymouth Argyle, but he had a much briefer and less enjoyable time with the Saints. Sturrock lasted just nine league games, before being replaced by Steve Wigley, who didn't last much longer.

The shortest managerial reign in Premier League history, Les Reed managed less than six weeks in charge of Charlton Athletic, taking charge of just seven Premier League games. Reed had replaced Iain Dowie who had lasted just 12 league games, but in his only first team managerial role, Reed was gone even quicker, as the Addicks desperately tried to replace Alan Curbishley. Of his seven games in charge, Charlton won one, drew one and lost five. He was replaced by Alan Pardew, who was unable to change the clubs fortunes and they were relegated at the end of the season.